Marsupial flying squirrel is a small squirrel that has won the hearts of residents of almost the whole world. The second name is sugar sum. At home, the content is not particularly difficult. In the article you will find a description of the animal, get acquainted with the conditions of its life and get recommendations on the content.
Description
Sugar marsupial posum is small. Body length - about 20 cm, tail - from 17 to 20 cm, weight - up to 170 g. The body is thin, although it seems wide due to the flying membrane. The muzzle is pointed, short. The tail is so flexible that Posum can twist it into a spring and even carry small things in this way, for example, twigs. Claws long, thin. The animal has bulging and large eyes, clearly visible in the dark (this is a nocturnal animal). The fur is soft, thick. The top is ashen, with a brown stripe in the middle. The abdomen is light cream. Albinos are found. Possible (rare) yellow and brown color. Possum sugar at home lives up to 11-12 years (record - 17.8 years). In captivity , life expectancy is much shorter - only 9 years.
Characteristics
Sugar flying possum has a membrane starting at the front paws and ending at the hind legs. Thanks to this feature, animals "glide" through the air, extending the range of jumps to fifty meters. Coordinate the "flight" tail and paws. Female bag soums have a bag (like a kangaroo). Male individuals tend to mark not only their territory, but their entire flock. For these purposes, they have characteristic glands. Nightlife.
Feeding
Should Posum sugar at home eat the same as in nature? This question worries almost every newly-made owner of this animal. We will answer right away: you won’t be able to recreate all the conditions of wildlife at home, but it's quite possible to get closer to them. By the way, feeding Posum is not as difficult as it seems. We start with a list of prohibited components. So, why not give sums? Do not feed cheese, lettuce, a large number of nuts (you can quite a bit), grapes, bird food, grapes and raisins, chocolate. Posum should have a minimum of 70% fruit in the diet, the rest is protein food. Leave the diet so that the animal receives more calcium and less phosphorus. Sweets and meat additives (unsalted boiled fillet of turkey or chicken) are allowed, but in small quantities. There must be live food: grasshoppers and zoobus (3-4 items per feeding). There is much debate about the benefits of flour worms . There is an opinion that they are harmful to posum, therefore it is better to refuse this type of food. Possum is happy to “eat up” meat and milk baby food (including cereals), low-fat yogurts, granola (dry), honey.
Of vegetables, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, cucumber, avocado (a little bit) are preferred. From fruits, pears, sweet apples, mangoes, melon with watermelon are suitable. You can also give eggs, but only quail (in any form, little by little).
Daily sample diet
The daily diet looks something like this:
zoobuses (3-4 pcs.);
grasshoppers (3-4 pcs.);
baby porridge (not in milk, ½ tbsp. l.);
fruits, vegetables (assorted, finely chopped);
baby food (mango, apple, pear, ½ tbsp.)
Sugar Possum - Contents
Possum sugar at home requires maximum space. These animals are extremely active, their element is trees. This should be remembered to those who are going to purchase posum. Most often marsupial squirrels are kept in spacious cages-cages. The rods should have a polyvinyl chloride coating (staining is highly undesirable). You should take care of a reliable lock - posms are so smart that they quickly figure out how to open a simple valve. The minimum distance between the rods is 1.3 cm.
Be sure to place rodent wheels, creeper in the cage, fix the branches, hang the ropes along which the marsupial flying squirrel will be happy to climb. If you want the animal to live with you for a long time, create good conditions for it. Some fans of flying squirrels claim that for the full development of a marsupial one incomplete square is enough. Cells of such sizes are permissible only on condition that the animal does not stay there for long (while sleeping or leaving the owner), and the rest of the time flying squirrels are released and move freely around the room. If this option seems uncomfortable to you, then stop at the aviary. Best if it is built in, from the ceiling to the floor. In fact, this is a corner fenced off in the room. Possums master toys very quickly. These animals have a pronounced craving for research, so the more entertainment you provide them, the better. As a bed (bed for the night), the hollow of a tree or its similarity is best suited. Even better - a few sleeping places, because posums love to "change apartments." Create a sum for all conditions for activity - it should not grow fat. The main causes of diseases in flying squirrels lie in their obesity. Excess weight can be reflected, like in people, on the kidneys, heart, joints. Possums are nocturnal animals.
Daylight, like electric lighting, annoys them. If you plan to watch for sums, provide the cage with a red backlight that will not cause them any inconvenience. Clean up your animal habitat often. Not only floors and utensils are subject to processing, but also toys, and lattices, and decoration. The smaller the cell, the more often it needs to be cleaned.